Hospital celebrates one year since revamped emergency department opened

A hospital has marked the first anniversary of the newly reconfigured emergency department being opened.Officials at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital have said that the project has “significantly enhanced the patient experience at the hospital’s front door”, celebrating the milestone on October 23.Thanks to major investment from the trust and a generous donation of more than £200,000 from the hospital’s League of Friends Charity, the emergency department underwent a “remarkable” transformation last year.

In the past decade, people arriving at the emergency department at the QEH has increased by more than 50% which is currently an average of 220 patients per day compared to 120 per day 10 years ago.In the last year alone, nearly 4,000 ambulances have arrived at the department – an increase of 14% compared to the year before.The upgrades included expanded space for ambulance handovers and a streamlined area for walk-in patients to be triaged, seen, and treated efficiently. The revamped department also introduced dedicated side rooms, designed specifically to cater to patients with mental health conditions, as well as additional facilities specially designed for children needing emergency care.A holistic approach was used to ensure that patients receive the comprehensive care they need in a safe and welcoming environment. Since the department’s reopening, patient feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive”.Insights gathered through the anonymous Friends and Family Test highlighted “significant improvements in the quality of care and overall experience”.Simon Illingworth, chief operating officer at the trust, said: “It’s now been a year since we opened the doors to our much-improved ED. “This area was designed in collaboration with our clinical staff who understands the need of our patients best.”As the QEH looks forward to the future, it remains “dedicated to continuously enhancing the services provided”.Reporting by Phoebe Cornell